Radiator Tube Combo Clip

ABSTRACT

A support for tube-and-fin assemblies in a radiator comprising a single support which is securable to multiple tube-and-fin assemblies in a single row and which is interlockable with respect to similar supports interconnected with rows of tube-and-fin assemblies in front of and/or behind that row.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This disclosure relates generally to tube-and-fin style heat exchangers. More particularly, this disclosure relates to a support structure for a tube-and-fin style assembly arranged in a radiator for use in a combustion engine.

BACKGROUND

Heavy duty construction machines such as track-type tractors, loaders, off-highway trucks and excavators and the like often require large radiators for engine cooling. One common radiator design is a heat exchanger arrangement comprised of a multiplicity of tube-and-fin assemblies. The tube-and-fin assemblies in such an arrangement are generally mounted in headers, arranged in columns and rows, and interconnected to receive and pass the radiator fluid therethrough. One known assembly of this type may include a generally elliptical tube having flat or flattened sides and heat-dissipating fins secured along the flat sides of the tube. In another similar type of assembly, the tube configuration may be substantially circular in cross-section. Regardless of the utilized tube geometry, the general operation of the assembly for the radiator is the same, namely the use of the fins on the tubes to dissipate heat from the radiator fluid to the air passing through the radiator and into the environment.

Given the large scale cooling requirements for some applications, the tube-and-fin assemblies discussed herein may be of considerable size. Furthermore, for some larger applications, multiple rows of tube and fin assemblies mounted in close proximity may be necessary. However, in order to achieve the desired heat exchange, it can be critical to maintain the spacing between tube-and-fin assemblies within a fairly tight tolerance interconnection is provided by permanent connections, it makes the ready removal and repair or replacement of any single damaged assembly very difficult. Further, rigid connections, such as welding, may be too rigid for certain applications, leading to breakage or damage during usage in difficult terrain or when subjected to other harsh environmental conditions.

In accordance therewith, it has been found that binding or strapping the tubes together utilizing a clip, preferably formed from an at least somewhat elastic and/or deformable material may be useful. In particular, while for use purposes, it is also important to maintain some aspects of give and flexibility for the respective tube-and-fin assemblies. Additionally, in order to facilitate maintenance, it is generally desired that each tube-and-fin assembly be removable from the headers for repair and/or replacement.

In accordance therewith, it has been found that some of the desired rigidity may be achieved by interconnecting the rows and/or columns of tube-and-fin assemblies, thereby increasing the overall strength and rigidity of the heat exchanger. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,357,513 to L&M Radiator, Inc. discloses the use of a support that is designed to be removably fastened to individual tube-and-fin assemblies of the heat exchanger. Specifically, each individual support is shaped to engage a single tube-and-fin assembly while also being shaped to slidably engage like adjacent supports so as to maintain the tube spacing and to enhance the strength and rigidity of the overall heat exchanger assembly. Each of the supports disclosed in the '513 patent are shaped and sized to fit around and engage a single tube-and-fin assembly at a time. Each support is then designed to slidably interconnect with another corresponding support resulting in a “grid” of individually connected, but separate supports.

However, while connectors such as those disclosed above and in the prior art have been found to be useful in some applications, refinement of such connectors that allow entire rows of fin and tubes to be attached to each other and be attached to complementary rows in front and/or behind may be desired.

SUMMARY

The disclosure provides a support for use with the tube-and-fin assemblies of a radiator. In accordance therewith, the support has an interconnecting capacity to increase the strength and rigidity of the radiator for both staggered and in-line tube-and-fin radiator configurations.

The disclosure further provides a support for tube-and-fin assemblies in a radiator comprising a single support which is securable to multiple tube-and-fin assemblies in a single row and which is interlockable with respect to similar supports interconnected with rows of tube-and-fin assemblies in front of and/or behind that row. The disclosure also provides an interlocking support according to the foregoing that controls and minimizes movement and vibration of the tube-and-fin assemblies during operation while still maintaining the ability to remove the individual tube-and-fin assemblies for repair or replacement.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a side perspective view of a radiator utilizing a multitude of tube-and-fin assemblies in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure;

FIG. 2 is a partial side perspective view of interconnected supports engaging multiple tube-and-fin assemblies in accordance with one embodiment of the disclosure;

FIG. 3 is a side elevation view of the supports shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a side perspective view of the supports shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a top cutaway perspective view of the supports shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 6 is a top cutaway plan view of the supports shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 7 is a top perspective view of a single support in accordance with the embodiment of the disclosure as shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 8 is a partial side perspective view of interconnected supports engaging multiple tube-and-fin assemblies in accordance with an alternate embodiment of the disclosure;

FIG. 9 is a side elevation view of the supports shown in FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is an alternate side perspective view of the supports shown in FIG. 8;

FIG. 11 is a top cutaway perspective view of the supports shown in FIG. 8;

FIG. 12 is a top cutaway plan view of the supports shown in FIG. 8;

FIG. 13 is a top perspective view of a single support in accordance with the embodiment of the disclosure as shown in FIG. 8; and

FIG. 14 is an alternate top perspective view of the single support shown in FIG. 13.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

While a support for a tube-and-fin assembly according to this disclosure may be embodied in many forms, there is shown in the drawings and will herein be described in detail one or more embodiments of a single support structure for tube-and-fin assemblies in a radiator capable of simultaneously engaging and supporting multiple tube-and-fin assemblies at a time, with the understanding that this disclosure is to be considered an exemplification of the principles disclosed herein and is not intended to be limited to merely the illustrated and discussed embodiments.

Referring to FIG. 1, in accordance with the present disclosure, a support structure 20 for use in connection with a radiator 10, such as those found in a combustion engine (not shown), utilized by track-type tractors, loaders, off-highway trucks and excavators and the like, is provided.

Specifically, as shown best in FIGS. 2-6 and 8-12, a support structure 20 for use in providing flexible support to multiple tube-and-fin assemblies 22 is provided. As discussed above, the tube-and-fin assemblies 22 form a part of the radiator 10 and are arranged in rows and columns and interconnected between upper and lower headers (not shown). The rows extend longitudinally across the radiator 10, substantially perpendicular to the direction of air flow, and the columns are substantially perpendicular to the rows. The columns may be “in-line” in some embodiments or may be “staggered” as best shown in FIGS. 6 and 12 in order to provide a desired air flow through the radiator.

As best shown in FIGS. 2-6 and 8-12, the tube-and-fin assemblies 22 may be comprised of generally elliptical tubes 24 having flat sides 26 and heat dissipating fins 28 secured along the flat sides 26. It is to be understood, however, that the tubes 24 may have virtually any cross-sectional configuration, including circular, square, rectangular, etc. as desired or required for a particular application. In accordance with an embodiment of the disclosure, the support 20 may be integrally formed from a single piece of plastic material such as nylon. In accordance with other embodiments of the disclosure, the support may be made of a metal, such as aluminum. One of the advantages of using a metal such as aluminum for the support 20 is that it aids in the dissipation of heat from the tubes 24.

As can be seen best in FIGS. 7 and 13-14, the support 20 may preferably formed in a comb-type configuration having a central spine 30 having female connectors 32 on one side thereof and corresponding male connectors 34 on the opposite side thereof. It is to be understood that, depending on the application, the width of the respective connectors 32, 34 and central spine 30 can be varied to achieve the desired spacing between the tube-and-fin assemblies 22 in each individual row, as well as the spacing between the rows themselves. For example, for larger desired spacing between tube-and-fin assemblies 22 in each row, wider connectors 32, 34 should be specified. Conversely, the larger the desired spacing between each row of tube-and-fin assemblies, a wider central spine 30 should be specified.

In accordance with some embodiments of the disclosure, the female connectors 32 may include laterally extending wings 36 that are shaped and sized to slide between adjacent fins 28 on the tube-and-fin assemblies 22, thereby aiding in the securement of the comb-type support 20 to the tube-and-fin assemblies and increasing the rigidity thereof. In an embodiment of the disclosure, the wings 36 may be broadest closest to the base of the female connectors 32 and taper nearer the ends 40 thereof.

As shown best in FIGS. 8-14, in some embodiments of the disclosure, the female connectors 32 may also include longitudinally extending sidewalls 42. The longitudinally extending sidewalls 42 may be provided on both sides of the female connectors 32 for the interior connectors but left open on the end portions 44 to allow for sliding interconnection with additional supports 20 if desired and/or required. The sidewalls 42 may be provided in connection with all of the female connectors 32 or only some, and may comprise complete or partial walls, depending on the lateral support desired.

In accordance with the disclosure, the male connectors 34 may be provided with a lobed head 46 corresponding to a lobed recess 48 provided in the female connectors 32. The lobed head 46 and corresponding lobed recess 48 provide a snap-type engagement between the respective connectors 32, 34 thereby adding strength and rigidity to the interconnection of the tube-and-fin assemblies 22. As is known in the art, the size and shapes of the respective lobes 46, 48 may be varied to provide desired strength and rigidity to the interconnection. For example, a larger lobe 46 on the male connector 34 vis-à-vis the corresponding lobe 48 on the female connector 32 will add strength and rigidity to the interconnection of the supports 20 (while making interconnection more difficult). Conversely, a smaller lobe 46 on the male connector 34 vis-à-vis the corresponding lobe 48 on the female connector 32 will lessen strength and rigidity to the interconnection of the supports 20 (while making interconnection easier).

The embodiments of the comb-type support 20 disclosed herein provides an engaging interconnection between individual tube-and-fin assemblies 22 in each row as well as simultaneous interconnection between each row of tube-and-fin assemblies 22 in the radiator 10. The interconnection thereby provides a distribution and dissipation of the forces that may be experienced by the tube-and-fin assemblies 22 of the radiator 10 thereby improving the strength of the radiator 10 and helping to prevent failure of the tube-and-fin assemblies 22.

It is to be understood that while these descriptions are exemplary in nature of the embodiments shown and discussed herein, they are no-limiting in nature. For example, the length of the support 20 may vary and is dependent upon the number of tube-and-fin assemblies 22 utilized in any particular radiator 10 application. In some applications, the central spine 30 of the comb-type support 20 may extend the entire width of the radiator 10 thereby supporting all of the tube-and-fin assemblies 22 in each row. Conversely, in other applications, the central spine 30 of the comb-type support 20 may only extend the partial width of the radiator 10 and may be shaped and sized on ends thereof to connect with another similarly shaped support 20 as discussed above.

Further, it is to be understood that while the embodiments of the support 20 disclosed herein disclose female connectors 32 exclusively on one side of the central spine 30 and male connectors 34 exclusively on the opposite side thereof, deviations from this arrangement (such as alternating placement on the central spine 30 every other connector 32, 34, every third connector 32, 34, etc.) would be considered within scope of the present disclosure. Similarly, while the pictured embodiment discloses the wings 36 in connection with the female connectors 32, they may also be used in connection with the male connectors 34 as is understood by those of ordinary skill in the art. In yet another exemplary embodiment, the wings 36 may be alternated between association with the female connectors 32 and the male connectors 34, as well as a multitude of other variations of such embodiments.

Further to the foregoing, while an integrally formed support 20 made from a plastic material is disclosed and considered useful due to the ability thereof to deform and “give” without breaking, other base materials and non-integrally formed construction techniques for making the supports 20 would be considered operable and within the scope of the disclosure.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

The present disclosure advantageously provides a support system for use in a radiator 10 of the type utilized for cooling combustion engines for heavy duty construction machines such as track-type tractors, loaders, off-highway trucks and excavators and the like. Specifically, the comb-type support 20 disclosed herein enhances the strength and overall performance of the radiator 10. Additionally, the support 20 helps to prevent damage to the individual tube-and-fin assemblies 22 while still maintaining the ability to individually remove a single tube-and-fin assembly 22 for maintenance or replacement, if required, without requiring dismantling of the entire radiator 10 structure.

More specifically, the present disclosure provides a comb-type support 20 that provides interconnection between adjacent tube-and-fin assemblies 22 within the radiator 10 that substantially improves stress distribution and resistance to distortion. Further, the comb-type support 20 disclosed herein provides the aforementioned attributes without significant fin 28 area loss thereby maintaining or improving overall cooling efficiency. Additionally, the variability of the widths of the connectors 32, 34 as discussed herein may provide desired spacing between individual tube-and-fin assemblies 22 in each row while the variability of the width of the central spine 30 may provide desired spacing between the rows of the individual rows of the tube-and-fin assemblies 22 thereby allowing desired cooling efficiency to be maintained.

The many features and advantages of the disclosure are apparent from the detailed specification, and, thus, it is intended by the appended claims to cover all such features and advantages of the disclosure which fall within the true spirit and scope of the disclosure. Further, since numerous modifications and variations will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the disclosure to the exact construction and operation illustrated and described, and, accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to that fall within the scope of the disclosure. 

We claim:
 1. A support for supporting tube-and-fin assemblies of a radiator comprising: a support having a central spine having two opposed sides, the central spine having at least one female connector formed on one side thereof and at least one male connector formed on the opposite side thereof, wherein the male connector includes a lobed head shaped to be engagingly received by a corresponding female connector and the female connector includes a lobed recess shaped to engagingly receive a lobed head of a corresponding male connector, wherein the support is shaped such that when the support is engaged with a corresponding support at least two tube-and-fin assemblies of a radiator are clamped therebetween.
 2. The support of claim 1 further comprising at least one laterally extending wing formed on at least one side of the central spine, the wing shaped and sized to slide between adjacent fins on tube-and-fin assemblies.
 3. The support of claim 2 wherein the wing is broadest closest to the spine and tapers outwardly therefrom.
 4. The support of claim 1 further comprising longitudinally extending sidewalls extending along at least one side of at least one of the female connectors.
 5. The support of claim 1 wherein the support is formed of a plastic material.
 6. The support of claim 1 wherein the support is formed of metal.
 7. The support of claim 1 wherein the width of the central spine may be varied to vary the spacing between individual rows of tube-and-fin-assemblies and the width of the connectors may be varied to vary the spacing between tube-and-fin assemblies in the same row.
 8. A radiator for an internal combustion engine comprising: a plurality of tube-and-fin assemblies assembled in a radiator in at least two rows; at least two supports for interconnecting at least two tube-and-fin assemblies in a first row to at least two tube-and-fin assemblies in a second row, each support comprising a central spine having two opposed sides, the central spine having at least one female connector formed on one side thereof and at least one male connector formed on the opposite side thereof, wherein the male connector includes a lobed head shaped to be engagingly received by a corresponding female connector and the female connector includes a lobed recess shaped to engagingly receive a lobed head of a corresponding male connector, the supports shaped such that when the first support is engaged with the second support the first and second rows of tube-and-fin assemblies are clamped therebetween.
 9. The radiator of claim 8 further comprising at least one laterally extending wing formed on at least one side of the central spine of at least one of the supports, the wing shaped and sized to slide between adjacent fins on tube-and-fin assemblies.
 10. The radiator of claim 9 wherein the wing is broadest closest to the spine and tapers outwardly therefrom.
 11. The radiator of claim 8 wherein at least one support further comprises longitudinally extending sidewalls extending along at least one side of at least one of the female connectors.
 12. The radiator of claim 8 wherein at least one support is formed of a plastic material.
 13. The radiator of claim 8 wherein at least one support is formed of metal.
 14. The radiator of claim 8 wherein the width of the central spine of at least one support may be varied to vary the spacing between individual rows of tube-and-fin-assemblies and the width of the connectors on at least one support may be varied to vary the spacing between tube-and-fin assemblies in the same row.
 15. A radiator for an internal combustion engine comprising: a plurality of tube-and-fin assemblies assembled in a radiator in at least two rows; at least two supports for interconnecting at least two tube-and-fin assemblies in a first row to at least two tube-and-fin assemblies in a second row, each support comprising a central spine having two opposed sides, the central spine having a plurality of female connectors formed on one side thereof and a plurality of male connectors formed on the opposite side thereof, laterally extending wings formed on at least one side of the central spine, the wing shaped and sized to slide between adjacent fins on tube-and-fin assemblies, and longitudinally extending sidewalls extending along both sides of the female connectors, wherein the male connectors include lobed heads shaped to be engagingly received by the corresponding female connectors and the female connectors include lobed recesses shaped to engagingly receive the lobed heads of the corresponding male connectors, the supports shaped such that when the first support is engaged with the second support the first and second rows of tube-and-fin assemblies are clamped therebetween.
 16. The radiator of claim 15 wherein the wings are broadest closest to the spine and taper outwardly therefrom.
 17. The radiator of claim 15 wherein the supports are integrally formed.
 18. The radiator claim 17 wherein the supports are formed from a plastic material.
 19. The radiator of claim 18 wherein the plastic material is nylon.
 20. The radiator of claim 17 wherein the supports are formed from metal. 